The Voice The Newsletter of the Cedar Falls United Church of Christ February 5, 2019.

Valentine Meal with Community

Dear Friends and Family of Cedar Falls United Church of Christ, Hope you all have been able to stay warm in this weather – as I mentioned in our special edition of the Voice, the boiler pump blew a 2 inch seam. They have temporarily patched it and we are hoping it holds until the new pump arrives. We’ll keep you posted. On Feb. 3rd for our Souper Bowl event, we raised some money for NE Iowa Food Bank and had great soup and fellowship time after worship. Thank you to Cynthia Youde, Aloha Oudekerk, Barb Kuhlman, Dianne Larsen for joining me in providing soup. Thanks also to Cris Vallecillo for providing very tasty hot wings! I will be adding pictures to our web page so don’t forget to check it out as well. Website: www.cedarfallsucc.org

We have been invited to take a special offering called Future Leadership. A pastor in NE Iowa started a special scholarship fund for clergy in seminary that are coming back to Iowa to serve or are already serving in Iowa to help defer the costs of school. If you want to contribute anything to this fund, send it in to the church and on the memo line of the check write Future Leadership Fund. February 14th – We are hosting a Human Family Valentine Meal with music and games. We are inviting all those who would like to share in a family style meal (spaghetti) loving but not romantic time with us to join us at 6 p.m. for food and fellowship, music and musings. This event will be open to the community at large. If you know anyone who might like to join us, we will begin at 6 p.m. Please invite them and let us know.

Our new confirmation class and youth group will be meeting on Sunday afternoons from 2 – 4 p.m. The youth will be picking mentors to walk with them on this journey. We will be encouraging them all along the way. We still don’t have a closing on the sale of the property. I’ll include it in the Voice when we do. We need to set some church goals and then reach for them. If you have some goals in mind and ideas to reach them, talk with Larry Buchholz or e-mail him. Chris Merz, our new Church President, led his first council meeting in January. Though a goal of his is to have shorter meetings, the meeting went well. (The New Council met with the Old Council to help make the transition smoother.) Thanks to all for your input and help. God bless you! God is awesome! God loves you!

In Christ we serve, Pastor Sue

FULLY RELY ON GOD!

Communion Serving Teams for 2019

January, April, July, October – Karen or Joe Newcomb, Larry Buchholz

February, May, August, November – Cynthia Youde, Mike Gorton

March, June, September, December – Georgia Henry, Barb Kuhlman

Please let Pastor Sue or Karen Newcomb know if this doesn’t work for you.

United Fellowship

United Fellowship will be meeting February 7th at 11:45 a.m. and going to Maid-Rite on 2808 University Avenue Waterloo.

Prayers

Let’s remember to keep each other in our prayers. We all need God’s hand upon us. Thanks. Jerry Smith – health issues Dianne Larsen – health issues Lathon and Linda Jernigan-health issues Dale and Janeen Danielsen Wilbur and Lorna Heronimus and their family Janice Springer – mobility issues Erica Breddin – starting a new job Harry Edwin – arrived safely in Nigeria, but the things he shipped hadn’t arrived yet, so hold him in your prayers as well. Please hold in prayer those who are hungry. We donated to the NE Iowa Food Bank but that is only a part of what we can do, praying for all those who are helping others and sharing their food is appreciated. Please hold the homeless in your prayers as well. This severe cold is dangerous to all, but especially the homeless. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones. Even though they may not live in our community or attend our church, we feel the pain of loss. Let someone know you are praying for them and that they aren’t forgotten.

Lathon Jernigan can be written to or seen at: Western Home Deery Suites, Room 313, 5301 Caraway Lane, Cedar Falls, IA 50613

New Address

Harry Edwin 6 Close Ct. Ethope West Ogharefe-Sapele Nigeria W/A

Cedar Falls UCC Foster Children’s Closet (Kaden’s Kloset)

Kaden’s Kloset will be open on Wednesdays 2 – 5 p.m. and on the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. We will want volunteers to work our Saturdays. Thanks.

Theological Forums February 6th – Power of Healing 13th – Physical Healing

20th – Emotional Healing 27th – Spiritual Healing

Valentine’s Dinner

6 p.m. on February 14th we are hosting a meal, music, and activities for the community to share with us. Sometimes it is nice to share “family” time with people you may not know well or at all as others share romantic “date” night out on this date. 6 p.m. our supper will begin. Thanks to Cynthia Youde with hopefully helper/s we will be having spaghetti, salad, bread, and dessert. We are taking a free will offering that will be donated elsewhere (yet to be determined.)

Movie Night Our February movie night will be on the 15thth at 6:30 p.m. Let me know if there

is any special movie you would like to see.

Anniversary Celebration of being Open and Affirming

In January 2004, Cedar Falls United Church of Christ “became one of the first churches in the Cedar Valley to formally welcome everyone, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.” (Waterloo Courier, February 9, 2004, Metro page) Cynthia Youde brought in a article from the Waterloo Courier to share in church when we mentioned that we were celebrating 15 years as an open and affirming congregation. This morning in worship I read the article to the congregation. It is never easy to make these commitments and try and live them. We have many people to thank for encouraging the church to live like Jesus – bringing good news to the poor,

standing with the outcast, and accepting others. As Ron Kuhlman was quoted in the story, “I was really proud of the congregation for accepting the challenge of living our faith more on a day-to-day basis.” Dr. Charles Warfield of Kalamazoo Michigan, professor at Western Michigan University, president of the local NAACP, tireless leader for human rights, a mentor for youth, a warrior for the under-served used to say: ”Every morning when I get up, I look to see who is on the rung below me that I need to pull up today.” This congregation in remembering the commitment made in the open and affirming statement is trying to do just that. Help others be recognized along with us, as children of God, beloved brothers and sisters of Christ, empowered by the Spirit to work together. Council is putting together a call agreement with Erica Breddin for the congregation to vote on March 31st. It isn’t a paid position but it is an official one if the congregation votes for the acceptance of this pastor and this call. More will be coming out in the Voice as it gets developed.

Community Events First Christian Church has a food pantry 4 -6 p.m. on Thursdays. If you are able to donate food directly to them, then please do so. If you know someone who needs this resource please let people know. St Patrick has a food pantry that is open Monday’s from 9 a.m. to Noon and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Please contact Jackie, our community outreach coordinator for assistance at

319-266-3523. No food boxes will be given out without prior authorization. First United Methodist Church hosts the Community Meal every Tuesday. St. Timothy’s United Methodist Church helps with Food on the 3rd Friday, 1-4 p.m. by appointment. The Mennonites give out Hy-Vee Gift cards at the beginning of the month, 1st come 1st served.

Upcoming Dates to Save Feb. 9 The Tao Te Ching The Tao Te Ching (Tao is pronounced dow) is sacred scripture for the Taoist tradition in China. It has no stories (as do our gospels), but it offers us deep and universal wisdom. We will use our Christian perspective and scripture side by side with the Tao Te Ching and see how they support one another (or don’t.) March 6th – Ash Wednesday – Worship is at 6:30 p.m. with a discussion following on “forgiveness” March 13th – Discussion on Sin and Grace March 16 Four and More We know the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But there were many others written at about the same time, only discovered in the 20th century. We will look at some of those, compare them to the gospels we know,and explore the images and understandings of Jesus that each offers. March 20th – Rituals that Empower Forgiveness March 27th – Writings on Forgiveness (poetry, sayings, stories …)

April 3rd – Anxiety (helpful tools to deal with anxiety) April 10th – Fear (helpful tools to cope with fear) Apr. 13 The Easter Story We will explore the story of Jesus’ last week. What do the four gospels say? How do they differ? What does it mean to say Jesus died for us? How do we understand resurrection? We will also share some of the abundant music, poetry and art that this story has inspired. May 18 A Respectful Introduction to Islam We will learn some basics about our cousins in the faith , explore their scripture a bit, see how they understand Jesus, and talk with a Muslim in our community. Janice’s workshop: I Know We’re All Welcome at the Table, But Do I Have to Sit Next to You? is being rescheduled for April 27th. If you would like to attend please register early so we know we have enough people. How do we stay in community with the cousin whose idea of God rubs us the wrong way, or the co-worker who is against everything we are for?

I Know We’re All Welcome at the Table, But Do I Have to Sit Next to You?

This workshop, based on the book of that title, is shaped around the prayer “O God, bless them, change me.” It offers six specific tools to help us grow in our capacity to respect the people we encounter every day. It invites us not only to the external work of loving our neighbor and our enemy, but also to the challenging, transforming inner work that makes such love possible. Its wisdom is drawn from various disciplines, but most of all from the world’s spiritual traditions. The book offers detailed guidance for sharing this information in your own setting.

THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST An Open and Affirming Congregation “Listening to God with open minds. Welcoming all with open arms.” (319) 266-9686 9204 University Avenue Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613 Website: www.cedarfallsucc.org CHURCH email address: cedarfallsucc@gmail.com